Chile Baby and the Gospel Gangstaz’s 2022 release “The Sleeping Giant” is nothing short of a heartfelt ride of emotions. As this was the first release from the group since the unexpected passing of band member Mr. Solo, the album opens with an emotional tribute to the artist, mainly from Chile Baby himself since they had a very close relationship. I appreciated this opening because when you start an album in this way, a tribute to a lost loved one, you know the rest of the album is going to be filled with heart and passion. And “The Sleeping Giant” delivers.

The first song “Take Yah Shot” begins with what is a consistent theme of living for the right things. Lyrics talking about leaving money behind and pursuing the peace of God are very relatable and kept me intrigued for more. 

“Don’t keep it to yourself share it with your neighbors, how good God is and personally your Savior” (“Bless Yah Day”). This line struck me because it’s something Christians everywhere talk about doing, but don’t actually carry out the act. Chile Baby’s lyric writing is strong in this album and covers many topics that Christians struggle with such as serving two masters and treating others with respect and kindness. “Won’t see better days unless I give my life to Christ and learn better ways” (“Custom Fit”). 

Musically, this album was masterful with more than just the standard bass beat and snare drum. Chile Baby added many uses of ambient melodies and background vocalists to add more layers to the songs, which is immediate cause for you to bop your head. It is also clear that Chile Baby knows exactly what his listeners want. The pacing of “The Sleeping Giant” was fantastic because it’s not always in your face. It knows when to slow down and take a more emotional, soft section to give the listener time to absorb what they are hearing.

My favorite song on the album was easily “Cover Me.”  It is such a fun song to listen to with gorgeous leads from the female vocalist along with a pumping beat and catchy melodies. In between these sections, there were more staccato rap sections that mix up the song well and keep it fresh. As a whole, “Cover Me” is a masterful song in terms of construction and writing. And it has a good message of God’s peace and protection.

Overall this album is a solid 8.5/10. Musically, Chile Baby has delivered with great diversity and variety so it never gets boring to listen to. My only complaint is that almost all of the songs had the same, gritty, loud vocal style. More vocal diversity from Chile Baby would have added even more to this album. But that does not outweigh the great lyrics, pumping beats, and different electronic twists. I strongly recommend Chile Baby and the Gospel Gangstaz’s “The Sleeping Giant.”